Being British

[porkchop]

Well done to Joanna Konta on her tennis victories. However, one thing i am confused with is how she became British. She is not English, Scottish, Welsh or from N. Ireland. For those who love or hate Scotland's Andy Murray we all all agree that he is British. So, for aspiring young tennis players who are true Brits training hard to improve their ratings it must be galling for them to see yet another athlete claiming Britishness even though they were born elsewhere.

[ummmm]

Jordy - you did say country of birth!

[jno]

it should be the country of your birth

that would deprive England of many of its cricket captains (Greig, Dexter, Strauss, Lamb, Jardine, Pietersen, Denness, Hussain, Cowdrey etc etc and one of the current ones, Morgan), and its current rugby captain.

I do have my doubts about Zola Budd, though, that was pure pollitics.

[Ken4155]

Jordy, as FF points out, players qualify for Wimbledon irrespective of their nationality. The organisers don't stipulate X amounts of Brits, X amount of French, etc etc. So how is she taking a Brit's place?

[Sqad]

danny.......that is my point for SPORTING events....I should have typed that they SHOULD represent the country of birth, in your case, Germany or wherever.

[dannyk13]

Sqad, Children born of British parents are British, no matter where the birth takes place.

[mikey4444]

Jordy....with respect, why am I not surprised by your post at 11:32 ?

[Sqad]

danny....I know! I know, but i am supporting Jordy in saying that shouldn't be the case in sporting events.

[Garaman]

//Garaman.would you still feel the same if they took your son or daughters place after they had trained so hard to make the grade? they should represent the country they were born in.//

I would hope so. It is how I have always felt about it, so I can't imagine that would change, but if it did it would be for selfish reasons so that wouldn't really count.

[dannyk13]

How are people British in all manner except for sport?

[Sqad]

danny.....because they have a British passport and citizenship.

[dannyk13]

And therefore are eligible to represent Great Britain.

[Sqad]

danny....quite.......but that is the status quo. Jordy is suggesting that this shouldn't be the case and for sporting events i have some sympathy with Jordy's feelings.

[dannyk13]

So according to you and Jordy, if a British couple had a baby whilst on holiday, eg Spain, that child would only be eligible to represent Spain.

[Sqad]

danny......EXACTLY.

[Old_Geezer]

I don't believe folk are being asked to be British in all manner except for sport. I do believe there is a difference between citizenship, which is traded around depending on which countries will accept you; and nationality which I believe refers to your country of origin. It's not unreasonable to apply one thing to one set of issues, and the other to a different set; if desired.

[mikey4444]

Zola Budd....the SA athlete that The Guardian re-christened as Notta Black !

[dannyk13]

I might agree that one should only be eligible to play for the country of their nationality at the time of birth.

[porkchop]

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was born in Corfu GREECE. Surely he is a GREEK and not British!!